Roll grinder comparator gauge



1955 A. D. c. STUCKEY ET AL 3,263,374

ROLL GRINDER COMPARATOR GAUGE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1964 1966 A. D. c. STUCKEY ETAL 3,263,374

ROLL GRINDER COMPARATOR GAUGE Filed April 16, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.5

Fig. 6

Aug. 2, 1966 c sTUCKEY ETAL 3,263,374

ROLL GRINDER COMPARATOR GAUGE Filed April 16, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,263,374 ROLL GRINDER COMPARATOR GAUGE Albert D. C. Stuckey and Paul J. Gruber, both of Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Cincinnati Milling Machine Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 360,232 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-165) This invention relates to roll grinding machines and more particularly to a comparator mechanism for initially positioning a roll in the machine to correspond with the direction of relative movement of the grinding wheel and the roll.

The maintenance of rolls in a metal rolling mill is a major problem involving high equipment expense and high direct labor costs as well as expensive rolls consumed in the process due to their attrition resulting from regrinding. It is therefore important that the regrinding of rolls be quickly accomplished so that less direct labor is expended per roll. By reducing the labor time for each reground roll, the use of each machine also becomes more eflicient since more rolls can be ground with a machine in a given time. If the rolls are initially aligned in the machine with great accuracy, less material is removed in the regrinding process and a longer roll life results with a corresponding reduction in material costs.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a comparator gauge for a roll grinder which will reduce the cost of the roll grinding operation by shortening initial machine etup time while providing accurate alignment of a roll in the machine prior to grinding.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means for roll alignment for setting up a roll grinding machine which means allows quick and accurate positioning of 'a roll in the machine and which obviates the need for any subsequent aligning procedures after a rough finishing operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In its preferred form, this invention is utilized in a roll grinder of the travelling wheelhead type wherein a roll is supported during grinding in journal rests at each end thereof while the grinding wheel is swept across the pe ripheral surface thereof. Prior to grinding, a roll i set in the journal rests and these journal rests are then adjusted to position the central axis of the roll in alignment with the ways on which the wheelhead, carrying the grinding wheel, is moved reciprocally from one end to the other. gauge having three sensing heads i applied to one end of the roll. The three heads are each movable on a radial line from a common center point and are displaced angularly ninety degrees from one to the other around that center point. The three .heads are simultaneously movable toward and away from the center by means of a common drive and each is the same distance from the center at all times. The gauge head are shifted inward toward the roll until each of the heads engages the roll, the engagement being indicated on a dial associated therewith. This measures the deviation of the central axis of the roll from the common center point of the gauge. The journal rest at that end of the roll is then manipulated until each of the three gauge dials indicates a reading identical with the reading of the other dials. The gauge head are retracted through reversible fixed strokes and In aligning the roll, a caliper type comparator Patented August 2, 1966 ice moved along the wheelhead Ways to the other end of the roll. Since the gauge settings are not affected, this, in effect, is a movement of the common gauge center point to the other end of the roll and in so moving, the center point traces the locus of a reference axis along the roll. In the preferred form, the caliper is swung from a column attached to the wheelhead carriage for movement along the machine ways. The gauge is then applied to the other end of the roll and the journal rest at that end i adjusted until the gauges again read identically for each of the three heads. The central axis of the roll is then parallel to the ways on which the wheelhead travels and is made to correspond to the location of the reference axis traced by the gauge center point. The gauge readings need not be the same at each end, a difference indicating amount of roll taper rather than misalignment of the roll. The gauge is then wung away from the roll and the grinding operation is performed. The aligning comparison is made at each end of the roll in the small and normally unworn area extending beyond the normal strip width handled by the roll, it being conventional to have the rolls extend outward beyond each edge of the strip being rolled.

A clear understanding of the construction and operation of the comparator gauge of this invention can be obtained from the following detailed description of the comparator mechanism in which reference i made to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a transverse section through a roll grinding machine looking from the center toward an end.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the comparator gauge from the same line of vantage as in FIG. 1, the mechanism being shown broken away in parts.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of FIG. 2 as seen from the line 3-3 at the left side.

FIG. 4 is a partial top view of FIG. 2 from line 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the gauge heads.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the pneumatic circuit of the gauge mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a schematic hydraulic diagram for operation of the gauge heads.

As shown in FIG. 1, the roll grinding machine to which the present invention is applied is a conventional travelling wheelhead type roll grinder. The machine includes a bed 10 on which a carriage 11 is supported for longitudinal movement along ways 12, 13 that extend along the rear half of the bed 10. The carriage supports a conventional wheelhead, not shown, which has a grinding wheel rotatably mounted therein. The front half of the machine also has a pair of longitudinal way 14, 15 parallel to the ways 12, 13 and these support a headstock unit 16 which is adapted to rotate a roll 17 during a grinding operation. The roll 17 is supported in a journal rest unit 18 at each end and the journal rests 18 are adjusta'bly positionable along the ways 14, 15. The roll 17 has a cylindrical journal 19 extending outward therefrom at each end and these journals are engaged by bearing shoes 20, 21 for rotatable support. The shoes 20, 21 are each attached on the end of slides 22, 23, respectively, which are movable in the journal rest unit 18 to position the ends of the roll above the way 14, 15 and forward and back relative to the other ways 12, 13 so as to allow the central axis of the roll 17 to be aligned parallel to the ways 12, 13, particularly the V-Way 12. The slide 22 is movable horizontally toward and away from the center of the roll by rotation of a handwheel 24 fixed on the end of a screw 25 that is rotatable but axially fixed in a yoke 26 attached to the journal rest unit 18. The screw 25 is threaded through the slide 22 which is reciprocally movable in dove-tail ways 27 on top of the unit 18. This effects forward and rearward movement of one end of the roll 17 relative to the V-way 12. The other slide 23 is supported on a wedge 28 that is attached on the end of a screw 29 which is axially movable but not rotatable. The screw 29 is threaded through a rotatable nut 30 attached to a drive shaft 31 which extend outward from the unit 18 and it is adapted to be rotatably driven by a wrench or similar device (not shown). Axial movement of the screw 29 and wedge 28 will provide movement of the slide 23 to raise or lower the roll 17. The slide 23 is off-set from vertical to provide a support to hold the roll journal 19 back against the shoe 20.

The present invention is applied to the machine described to provide the means by which the operator can quickly and conveniently evaluate the position of the roll 17 as it is set in the journal shoes 20, 21 and make adjustments in the position without trial and error to align the central axis of the roll 17 properly and accurately for grinding without further adjustment. The gauge mechanism is supported on the wheelhead carriage 11 and is swung from a column 32. The gauge includes an arm 33 extending in a cantilever manner from the column 32 and the arm is both rotatably movable around and vertically movable on the column 32. In this respect, the column 32 and arm 33 are very similar to the basic structure of a radial drilling machine. The arm 33 is power driven vertically through a mechanism including a motor 34, a drive shaft 35, a rotatable nut 36 and a stationary screw 37 fixed along side of the column 32. This vertical feed mechanism or the arm 33 is also very similar to the power feed mechanism in a conventional radial drilling machine. The arm 33 has two carriages 38, 39 movably attached thereto and extending downward therefrom. Each of the carriages 38, 39 has a gauge head 40, 41, respectively attached thereto and a third gauge head 42 is movably supported in the arm 33 midway between the carriages 38, 39.

The gauge heads 40, 41, 42 are shown with the arm 33 and carriages 38, 39 in FIG. 2. The gauge heads 40, 41, 42 are simultaneously movable in radial paths from a common center point and each is initially aligned in the machine to be located at the same radial distance from that center. The gauge heads 40, 41 are moved with the carriages 38, 39 while the gauge head 42 is mounted on a slide 43, see also FIG. 4, which is slidable in a track in the arm 33 formed between retaining strips 44, 45. The carriages 38, 39 are slidable along tracks 46, 47 on the arm 33 simultaneously with the movement of the slide 43 by operation of a common mechanical system which is manually actuated from either of two handwheels 48, 49 at each end of the arm 33. The handwheel 48 is attached on the end of a screw 50 that is rotatable in the arm 33. The other handwheel 49 is attached to a shaft 51 on which a bevel gear 52 is fixed and the bevel gear 53 on the end of the screw 50 opposite the handwheel 48. The gears 52, 53 provide a one to one drive from the handwheel 49 to the screw 50. A nut 54, 55 extends into the arm 33 from each of the carriages 38, 39 and these are engaged over the screw 50. The screw 50 is threaded in opposite hands on each side of its center and therefore the two carriages 38, 39 will move toward and away from one another as the screw 50 is rotated. A bevel gear 56 is fixed to the center portion of the screw 50 and it engages another bevel gear 57 fixed on the end of a screw 58 that is rotatable in the arm 33 behind the slide 43. The slide 43 has a nut portion 59 that extends into the arm 33 and is engaged over the screw 58. Therefore, as the two carriages 38, 39 are driven toward or away from one another to shift the gauge heads 40, 41 to and from the gauge center, the slide 43 is also moved to carry the gauge head 42 to and from the gauge center point an equal amount and simultaneously therewith.

The detail of the gauge heads 40, 41, 42 is shown in FIG. which is a longitudinal section of the head 40. The gauge heads 41 and 42 are identical with one another but are mirror images of the head 40. The gauge probe 60 which contacts the roll 17 is of narrow rectangular shape, being narrow in width to present only a very small area for contact along the length of the roll. The probe 60 is mounted on a block 61 that is attached to a supporting member 62 by a pair of reed springs 63, 64 so that the block 61 is movable when pressure is applied against it. The supporting member 62 is received in a ram 65 and is positionable therein for gauge deflection calibration and adjustment by adjustment of locating screws 66, 67. The ram 65 is attached on the end of a piston rod 68 extending outward from a piston 69 that is reciprocally slidable in a cylinder 70. The cylinder 70 is adjustably positionable in the gauge head 40 having a nut 71 attached at its rear and engaged with a rotatable screw 72. This permits the mechanism to be adjusted for changing the relationship of the advance and retraction stroke of the probe 60 that is provided by the piston 69 and cylinder 70 through selected application of fluid under pressure at operating ports 73, 74. By adjustment of the position of the cylinders 70 in the gauge heads 40, 41, 42, the probes 60 are each positioned at the same distance from the gauge center point during initial gauge alignment. The ram 65 has a tongue 75 that extends into a slot 76 in the gauge head 40 to assure that the ram 65 is stroked forward and back in proper alignment.

The ram 65 contains an air gauge cartridge which has included therein a sleeve 77, and a check valve ball 78 urged by a spring 80 to close an orifice 79 therein. The ball 78 is engaged by a small plunger 81 that is loosely inserted in the orifice and is held thereagainst by contact with a hardened pin 82 secured in the back of the block 61. As the block 61 is swung back toward the plunger 81, the ball 78 is uns'eated to allow the orifice 79 to be opened for air flow therethrough. Air under pressure is supplied to the space in which the spring 80 is contained from a supply line 83 connected to the sleeve 77. As the air is allowed to escape through the orifice 79, the pressure in the line 83 drops, the drop in pressure being directly proportional to the axial movement of the plunger 81, and correspondingly the deflection of the block 61, over a limited range in which the gauge is designed to operate. The supply line 83 is flexible to allow for the advance and retraction stroke of the ram 65.

The pneumatic circuit for the gauges is shown sche matically in FIG. 6. The gauge heads 40, 41, 42 are each shown connected to supply lines '83, 84, 85, respectively, which extend from the low pressure side of variable pressure control valves 86, 87, 88. Air is connected to the high pressure side of those valves from flow regulating valves 89, 90, 91 each of which is connected to the main supply line 92 that extends from a filter unit 93 to which a source of air under pressure is connected. A set of pressure sensitive dials 94, 95, 96 are each connected to the low pressure side of the valves 86-88, respectively, by pneumatic lines 97, 98, 99. A set of balance adjusting valves 100, 101, 102 are connected to the lines 97, 98, 99 and these are adjusted relatively to balance the dial readings during alignment of the gauge system such that with equal deflection of the gauge probes 60 the back pressure in the lines 83, 84, and the lines 97, 98, 99 will produce the same dial reading on each of the pressure sensitive dials 94, 95, 96. The dials 94, 95, 96 are located in the end face of the carriage 38 as shown in FIG. 3 and an adjusting screw 103, 104, 105 is located along side of each and is connected to one of the valves 100, 101, 102, respectively, for adjustment thereof.

The gauge heads 40, 41,-42 are operated to advance and retract the probes 69 by operation of the fluid circuit shown in FIG. 7. A pump 106 driven by a motor 107 supplies fluid under pressure from a reservoir 108 and at a pressure regulated by the setting of a relief valve 109. The fluid is forced through a filter unit 110 to a fluid line 111 connected to a solenoid operated valve 112. With that valve deenergized the pressure fluid in line 111 is,

connected to a fluid line 113 that in turn is connected to each of the cylinders 70 in the gauge heads 40, 41, 42 to hold the pistons 69 therein retracted such that the gauge heads 40, 41, 42 can be positioned over the roll 17. The solenoid valve 112 is selectively energizable by conventional switch control means included in a pendent control unit 114 (FIG. 1, not described in detail since it is within the recognized skill of the art to provide on-ofr" type control of the solenoid). The valve 112 when energized connects pressure from the line 111 to another line 115 while the line 113 is connected to a return line 116 that connects with a low pressure relief valve 117 discharging to the reservoir 108. The resulting pressure differential on the pistons 69 in the gauge heads 40, 41, 42 advances the probes 60 of those heads toward the roll 17.

The circuit of FIG. 7 also shows a locating and locking pin 118 extending from a piston 119 slidable in a cylinder 120. The pin 118 is carried in the arm 33 and has a tapered end which is advanced into a mating socket (not shown) in the column 32 to locate the arm 33 in the proper angular position perpendicular to the ways 12 and at the correct fixed height thereabove to prevent the inadvertent movement of the arm during the alignment of a roll in the machine. The piston 119 is moved in the cylinder 120 in response to the energization and deenergization of a solenoid valve 121 also controlled from the pendent station 114 as is the motor 34. The pressure line 111 and return line 116 are both connected to the valve 121 as shown and while the valve 121 is dee-nergized these lines are connected, respectively, to operating lines 122, 123 connected to the cylinder 120 and the resulting pressure differential holds the pin 118 retracted. Energization of the valve 121 reverses the connections between the lines 111 and 116 and the pin 118 is advanced to seat in its socket when the arm 33 is fully lowered and perpendicular to the ways 12.

The alignment of the roll 17 in the machine prior to grinding is as follows. The carriage 11 is moved to place the column 32 at one end of the roll 17 and the arm 33, in its raised position, is swung outward over the roll 17 and lowered by operation of the motor 34 to the position shown, the gauge heads 40, 41, 42 being retracted at this time. The arm 33 is locked in its proper position by the energization of the valve 121 and extension of the pin 118. The gauge heads 40, 41, 42 are now advanced by the operators causing the valve 112 to be energized. The operator then rotates one of the wheels 48, 49 until each of the gauge probes 69 engages the roll 17 as is indicated by deflections of the indicators of the dials 94, 95, 96. The journal rest 18 at that end of the roll is adjusted to move the roll away from the gauge head for which the most deflection of its probe 60 is indicated until all of the dials 94, 95, 96 show the same reading. The magnitude of this reading is not important, it being necessary only to have them equal. The gauge heads are now retracted by causing the valve 112 to be deenergized. The carriage 11 is moved to position the arm 33 at the other end of the roll and the gauge heads 40, 41, 42 are again advanced, the hand wheels 48, 49 not having been disturbed. The journal rest at the other end is now adjusted up or down, forward or back until the dials 94, 95, 96 again indicate an identical reading which need not be the same as the reading obtained at the other end. The roll 17 is then in axial alignment with the ways 12 and can be ground. The gauge heads 40, 41, 42 are retracted, the arm 33 unlocked and raised and then swung out of the grinding area and grinding follows. A difference in the readings of the dials 94, 95, 96 from one end to the other indicates the amount of taper in the roll prior to grinding and the dials 94, 95, 96 can be calibrated to give a direct reading of this in inches or fractions thereof.

While the invention has been described in connection with one possible form or embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A roll grinding machine comprising:

(a) a base having a set of wheelhead carriage ways therein,

(b) a wheelhead carriage slidably received on said ways for movement therealong,

(c) journal rests for supporting a roll in a grinding operation and including means for adjusting the roll position for alignment thereof parallel to said ways,

(d) a gauge arm attached to said wheelhead carriage and swingable to a predetermined position over the roll supported in said journal rests,

(e) a set of gauge heads carried by said gauge arm and movable along paths radiating from a common center,

(f) means for simultaneously moving said gauge heads along the radial paths toward and away from said common center, and

(g) deflectable means associated with each of said gauge heads for indicating contact with the roll supported by said journal rests when said gauge arm is swung to the position thereover and said gauge heads are moved toward said common center.

2. The roll grinding machine of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said deflectable means includes a probe in each of said gauge heads adapted to contact the roll, and (b) means are provided in each of said gauge heads for advancing and retracting said probes relative thereto through a fixed stroke for advancement of said probes to contact the roll and for retraction therefrom to provide a clearance therebetween.

3. The roll grinding machine of claim 2 wherein:

(a) means are provided for adjusting the position of the probe in each of said gauge heads: to position each one thereof at the same radial distance from said common center when advanced.

4. The roll grinding machine of claim 1 wherein:

(a) a column is attached to said wheelhead carriage,

(b) said gauge arm is swingably supported for movement around said column, and

((3.) means are provided for moving said gauge arm vertically on said column.

5. The roll grinding machine of claim 4 wherein:

(a) said set of gauge heads includes three gauge heads received for movement along radial paths from the common center displaced one path to the next by ninety degrees, said radial paths being in a plane perpendicular to said ways when said gauge arms is swung to the predetermined position over the roll supported by said journal rests.

6. In a roll grinding machine having a base with Ways therein, a wheelhead carriage slidably movable along said ways, and journal rests for supporting a roll during a grinding operation, said journal rests adjustable to position the roll in exact alignment with the ways, a gauge mechanism for indicating corrective movements required to align the roll comprising:

(a) a vertical column attached to said wheelhead carriage and movable from one end of the roll to the other therewith,

(b) a gauge arm attached to said column and extending radially outward therefrom, said arm swingable around the column and movable vertically therealong,

(c) a plurality of gauge heads carried by said gauge arm, each gauge head movable relative thereto along a path extending radially from a common center,

(d) deflectable means associated with each of said gauge heads for indicating contact with the roll supported by the journal rests,

(e) means for vertically moving said arm along said column to position said gauge heads proximate to the 7 h roll when the gauge arm is swung outward over the (b) said defiectable means includes a probe in each of roll, and said gauge heads extending toward the common gauge means for Simultaneously moving said gauge heads center and adapted to contact the roll, and

along Said radial P t toward Said common center (c) means are included in each of said gauge heads for to P an indlcatlon of Oontact at sald deflectable 5 a fixed stroke advancement of said probes toward and means, said deflectable means providing an indication of direction of required roll adjustment by differences there'between in the indicated contact with the roll. 7. The gauge mechanism of claim 6 wherein: (a) said plurality of gauge heads includes three gauge 10 References Clted by the Exammer heads, one of said gauge heads being located verti- UNITED STATES PATENTS cally above the roll when said gauge arm is swung over the roll, the others of said gauge heads being gggg g g angularly located ninety degrees on each side of said 3,0 o at a 5 49 X one gauge head, the radial paths of movement thereof 15 being in a common plane, LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

for retraction thereof away from the common center independent of movement of said gauge heads. 

1. A ROLL GRINDING MACHINE COMPRISING: (A) A BASE HAVING A SET OF WHEELHEAD CARRIAGE WAYS THEREIN, (B) A WHEELHEAD CARRIAGE SLIDABLY RECEIVED ON SAID WAYS FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG, (C) JOURNAL RESTS FOR SUPPORTING A ROLL IN A GRINDING OPERATION AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE ROLL POSITION FOR ALIGNMENT THEREOF PARALLEL TO SAID WAYS, (D) A GAUGE ARM ATTACHED TO SAID WHEELHEAD CARRIAGE AND SWINGABLE TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION OVER THE ROLL SUPPORTED IN SAID JOURNAL RESTS, (E) A SET OF GAUGE HEADS CARRIED BY SAID GAUGE ARM AND MOVABLE ALONG PATHS RADIATING FROM A COMMON CENTER, (F) MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING SAID GAUGE HEADS ALONG THE RADIAL PATHS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID COMMON CENTER, AND (G) DEFLECTABLE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID GAUGE HEADS FOR INDICATING CONTACT WITH THE ROLL SUPPORTED BY SAID JOURNAL RESTS WHEN SAID GAUGE ARM IS SWUNG TO THE POSITION THEREOVER AND SAID GAUGE HEADS ARE MOVED TOWARD SAID COMMON CENTER. 